The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-02-10
FAMOUS NORTH CAROLINIANS
SOME EMINENT MEN NORTH CAR
OLINA HAS PRODUCED.
Associate Justice Ashe, Full of Years
and HOnOrs, Fell on Sleep and was Not
for God Took Him. Feb. 4th.

Associate Justice Ashe, Full of Years
and HOnOrs, Fell on Slice p and was Not
for God Took Him. Feb. 4th.
For more than a century the name Ashe
has been an honored one In North Carroll
ma. 1t is inseparably connected with the
war of the Revolution when the patriots of
the colonies raised their hands to resist
British oppression. In that war there
were men who won more distinction than
Col. John Ashe but there was no braver
soldier or more fearless patriot. There
have been other members Of the family
who have served the State with fidelity and
ability, and whose names are remembered
with affection. OF the men of the name
who have been called to public position
not one shed more lustre upon it or made
it dearer to the people than Associate JUS
home in Wadesboro last Friday, aged "A
years and months.
Judge Ashe was born at Hawtields, Ala
nance county, in June, 1912 at the Sum
mer home of his father, who lived at the
Neck plantation in what was then New
Hanover-now Pender-county. His faith
er was man of position and wealth and
his son enjoyed every advantage of collie
giate training and social enjoyment. He
| was prepared for college at DR.. Rogers in
Hillsboro and at the famous Bingham
| school, and graduated at the University
of North Carolina in 1882, dividing the
| first honors of the class with Hon. Thos.
| L. Clingman, James c. Dobbin and Rev.
| Haywood Parker He studid law with
Chief Justice Ruffin and began to practice
in the town of Wadesboro, where he lived
| till his death He married, IL the year
that he obtained license, Miss Caroline
county. His father having lost his for
tune as surety for Judge Murphey, the
| young attorney entered upon his profes-
sion with lean purse. But he was good
scholar, a student, had character and per-
! severance and although he was poor iE
purse he was rich in treasures of the
mind
He soon sought and received the posi-
! tion of Solicitor; in 1912 he represented
Arson County in the House of Commons,
as a Whig: in 1854 he was a member of
the State Senate; during the war he served
in Congress and in 1864 was elected to the
Confederate Senate; in 1868 he led, in a
forlorn hope, at personal sacrifice, the
Conservative Democratic forces, as a can
didate for Governor; in 1872 he was nom
mated and elected to Congress, and in
1874 re nominated and reelected: in 1873
he was nominated as Associate Justice of
the Supreme Court of North Carolina,
which position he held to the day of his
death, discharging the arduous duties of
the Office with ability. faithfulness and
great industry.
The writer first saw Judge Ashe at the
October term of the Supreme Court when
he appeared before the Court for license
to practice law Judge Ashe conducted
the examination on Blackstone. He stated
the questions with 50 much clearness and
freedom from the habit Of ordinary exam
iners as to reassure the student and make
him feel perfectly at ease. There were
none of the Objectionable ways of the ped
agogue in his questioning. His voice
seemed always to betray to the student a
hope that he would answer the question.
He won the admiration of every boy in
that class-as of the many men in the
preceding and succeeding classes. Ger
tainly from that day to the day of his
death this writer entertained for him a
regard and an admiration that he has en-
tertained for few men. Some time later
it was his good fortune to have the ad-
! joining seat at the hotel table for several
months with Judge Ashe The Judge always
breakfasted early and In the spring would
be the first to breakfast. He had little
great pleasures of those days to hear his
account of college life over fifty years ago,
70 listen to his expressions Of opinion about
men who had lived in the past, and to OBJ
serve the interest he manifested in every
thing going on around him. We have
treasured up many recollections of his table
/ talk. lie spoke not of men who are now on
the stage of life. He knew how to enter
tain without talking about men. There was
nothing in his conversation about himself
lie was one of the most modest of men.
There were no harsh criticisms of others.
: he was the most charitable of men. There
: VAS through his conversation a purity, a
} modesty, a thoughtfulness that charmed
nose whose good fortune it was to be with
H. Dignitied, he always was, and re-
we'd to degree that made him open his
art to few. What Charles Dickens said
the Great Physician was eminently true
Judge Ashe: "He was a composed man,
e o performed neither on his own trum-
! pet, nor on the trumpets of other people. "
OF his services on the bench we need not
oeak When he was first elected many
lwyers thought he had been too much in
nltics to keep up his legal studies and
Jared that he would not make as good a
}preme Court Judge as his associates.
1at fear was not long entertained. He
, dseloped into Supreme Court JUSTICE Of
fe ability, of diligence, of studious
haits, and wrote his opinions in clear,
stong, lucid, pure, English, and at the
tile of his death was regarded the equal
, Of ny member of the bench.
lot only was he a learned lawyer, an
uplght Judge, and true man in all pub
lie apacities, but he added to these per-
sonl belief in the Christian Religion, and